Town Board Minutes 03.09.2026

Town of Winchester Town of Winchester 7228 CTH W Winchester, WI 54557 winchesterwi.com Pursuant to the ADA, reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Winchester Town Office at 715-686-2123 or clerk@winchester.wi.gov with specific information and at least 24 hours in advance. Meeting Agenda Regular Town Board Meeting Monday, March 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM at Winchester Town Hall (7228 CTH W, Winchester) and via Zoom Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7441842374?pwd=htdJuqFkoRbbGY3VJhzLCCLUKOIvRw.1&omn=85856764426 Meeting ID: 744 184 2374 Passcode: 986340 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kblh16TYo3 Chairman Discianno called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm on Monday March 9th, 2026 at Winchester Town Hall and on Zoom. Chairman Discianno, Supervisor Newton, Supervisor Silvis, Treasurer Grimmer, and Deputy Clerk Huybrecht attended at Town Hall. There were five other in-person attendees including District Supervisor Richard Logan, and two attendees on Zoom. The pledge of allegiance was recited. Supervisor Newton made a motion to approve the agenda. Supervisor Silvis seconded the motion, and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Supervisor Newton made a motion to approve the December 16th and 31st special board meeting minutes and the February 9th regular meeting minutes as submitted. Supervisor Silvis seconded the motion, and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Grimmer reported that the total of Town bank accounts is $1,092,416 with an upcoming loan payment of $225,000 for municipal building and equipment. Treasurer Grimmer indicated that Associated Bank has offered the town a 4% interest rate for 6 months. The change of ownership form for the town credit cards has arrived and will be passed on to Clerk Newton. Associated Bank has given Treasurer Grimmer a proposal for the town to acquire a check scanner, which would allow the town to deposit checks for an estimated fee of $5 per month, resulting in checks being deposited sooner. Associated Bank needs to internally approve the scanner. Supervisor Newton requested that Treasurer Grimmer inquire about the scanner’s compliance with PCI. Chairman Discianno made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s report as given. Supervisor Newton seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Clerk’s Report: Deputy Clerk Huybrecht reported on behalf of Clerk Newton that the spring election will be held on April 7th. Clerk Newton is currently mailing out absentee ballots, which voters can request on myvote.wi.gov, in writing (letter or email), or in person by appointment. Voting absentee in person will be by appointment from March 24th to April 3rd. Clerk Newton has filed Fire Department 2% dues certification with the Department of Public Safety and Professional Services, as well as the Department of Administration housing survey. Clerk Newton is currently working on filing the Recycling Grant for Vilas County, Accommodations Tax 2025 report and Form CT 2025 report for the Department of Revenue, and is working with Chief Melzer on the Illness & Injury report for the Department of Public Safety and Professional Services. The Department of Revenue has updated the alcohol licensing form instructions for 2026, and Clerk Newton is preparing renewal packets for the three retail license Town of Winchester Town of Winchester 7228 CTH W Winchester, WI 54557 winchesterwi.com Pursuant to the ADA, reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Winchester Town Office at 715-686-2123 or clerk@winchester.wi.gov with specific information and at least 24 hours in advance. holders, as well as for the temporary licensees (Lions Club and ATV/UTV Club). Clerk Newton anticipates these packets going out mid-April. Chairman and Supervisors’ Reports: Chairman Discianno reported that that 5 ton weight limits have been posted on town roads beginning March 9, 2026 until further notice. He reported that there will be road projects this summer to seal cracks. Chairman Discianno has spoken with Darren from Delmore Consulting to inquire about [insert project here]. He will get an answer within the first three weeks of April. Chairman Discianno reported that the road crew is short-staffed, but is attempting to keep up with road conditions. They have been clearing slush off the roads. Chairman Discianno reported that the tree cutting project along Hwy W has concluded, and footings for the poles are being installed. The snowmobile trails are temporarily closed due to conditions. Supervisor Newton reported that he attended the Library Board meeting in February and explained that they discussed procedures and expected recipients for the Betty Forster Scholarship. No decisions have been made on this topic, and it will be on the agenda for their March meeting. There was also training for the library’s trustees regarding open meeting procedures. The Library Board also discussed their bank accounts signers and revised the library’s Debit/Credit Card Policy. Supervisor Newton will be working directly with the library director to find a replacement for one of the window blinds in the community room. Supervisor Newton also reported that there was some ice buildup on the walkway outside the library caused by water dripping from the gutters. Salt helps with the ice, but a long-term solution will be looked into. Supervisor Newton reported that Starlink equipment has arrived for the transfer station and it will be installed once the ice melts. Supervisor Newton will have the Turtle Lake Dam inspection report updated before the town board meeting in April. Supervisor Silvis reported that he hasn’t received a response about the emergency funding that he applied for. The Planning Commission has been working on the driveway ordinance. The transfer station has received electronic recycling bins. Vilas County District Supervisor’s Report: District Supervisor Logan reported that the ADRC senior nutrition meal program at NLS will be reopening on April 1, 2026. He also reported that Vilas County is putting together a resolution in opposition of changes proposed to septic regulations that would make septic system maintenance more expensive. Correspondence: Chairman Discianno reported receiving a letter regarding contracting out trash/recycling collection. He also reported correspondence about Papoose Lake Road’s condition and an update from Excel Energy. Supervisor Newton suggested the town post Excel’s update online. Public Comment: Sulo Wainio asked if the town plans to put weight limit signs up. They are currently posted on the electronic sign outside the town hall and on the town’s website. Old Business: 1. Road/lane name changes: Chairman Discianno reported that there were no submissions to be reviewed/approved. Town of Winchester Town of Winchester 7228 CTH W Winchester, WI 54557 winchesterwi.com Pursuant to the ADA, reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Winchester Town Office at 715-686-2123 or clerk@winchester.wi.gov with specific information and at least 24 hours in advance. 2. Turtle Lake Dam inspection report: Supervisor Newton confirmed that he will have an updated report ready prior to the town board’s April meeting. 3. Town Hall meeting room improvements including paint, tile, carpet, and electrical: Chairman Discianno reported that he got a painting estimate from AG Painting and Staining Service for updates to the town hall meeting room walls and ceiling. The project is estimated to take approximately 5 days. The town would be responsible for removing any items hung on the walls. Chairman Discianno made a motion to approve AG Painting and Staining Service. Supervisor Newton seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. 4. Deputy treasurer position: Treasurer Grimmer drafted a job description and job posting. He also documented the procedures related to the position and posted them to SharePoint. Treasurer Grimmer requests that the topic is tabled until the annual town meeting. 5. NEMSD update: Chairman Discianno reported that EMS had less calls than usual. Chairman Discianno received comments from Greg Harold regarding NEMSD’s current bylaws and governmental agreement, including suggestions to clarify the term “district”. Chairman Discianno mentioned that he is working on encouraging more meetings between the four towns’ chairs to discuss topics such as these documents, and explained that these meetings are beneficial to the community and would work to set up a meeting with town supervisors and the NEMSD board as well. Chairman Discianno also consulted the WTA regarding the NEMSD documents and budget, and they clarified that capital expenses should not be included in the operating budget. Chairman Discianno also explained the NEMSD board’s role in the budget process, and that the current bylaws can be upheld, but should be updated to clarify some topics. Supervisor Newton recommended that the NEMSD documents give NEMSD control over their operations as much as possible. The board also discussed the proper procedure for forming a grant committee. District Supervisor Logan suggested that the board hire an accounting firm to do a regular audit. 6. Broadband update: Chairman Discianno reported that several companies are involved in broadband installation that will start this year at Hwy G and move east towards Harris Lake. Norvado is seeking to use town property for their mechanical shed. Chairman Discianno and Supervisor Silvis agreed that leasing the property seems to be the best option, but will need to be further discussed. Supervisor Silvis will look into documentation and this topic will be discussed at the town’s annual meeting. 7. ATV/UTV signage for Winchester town roads: Chairman Discianno met with Planning Commission Chair Wainio and ATV Club President Rich Haijt to discuss signage, and consulted the WTA about the town’s ability to put up “local traffic only” signs. Alternatively, they would put up “quiet zone” signs and lower the speed limit to encourage ATV/UTV traffic towards county roads. They plan to purchase 58 total signs (including a few extras) for $1,060. The ATV Club will cover half of the cost of the signs. Existing signposts can also be utilized to save costs. 8. Short term rentals/room tax: Chairman Discianno reported that he has found 17 short term rentals that are not currently paying room tax. He is also concerned that they do not have proper permits or inspections. Supervisor Newton will work with Chairman Discianno to gather information on each property to submit to Vilas County to address noncompliance. Manitowish Waters Town Board Supervisor Zeise and Chairman Discianno agreed that addressing noncompliant short term rental properties would financially benefit both Manitowish Waters Town of Winchester Town of Winchester 7228 CTH W Winchester, WI 54557 winchesterwi.com Pursuant to the ADA, reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Winchester Town Office at 715-686-2123 or clerk@winchester.wi.gov with specific information and at least 24 hours in advance. and Winchester. Supervisor Zeise also suggested that the funds could be used for fireworks to promote tourism. Chairman Discianno stated that Vilas County Tourist Rooming House Technician Robert Koch and Vilas County Environmental Health Technician Bobbie Halada have sent letters to noncompliant property owners. 9. Clerk/Treasurer appointed and/or combined positions: Supervisor Newton suggested that the town have separate positions for clerk and treasurer to provide continuity and avoid costly yearly audits. He suggested that both positions be appointed. He also stated that appointments allow clerks and treasurers to be appointed from outside of Winchester. Treasurer Grimmer mentioned that combining the positions of clerk and treasurer would largely depend on the appointee and their interest in potentially taking on both positions, and combining the positions could be a full-time position, which would be beneficial. He also suggested that the clerk and treasurer would be cross trained to balance work throughout the year. Changing the clerk/treasurer positions to appointments will be added to the annual town meeting agenda, with each position as its own item. 10. Annual Town Meeting date: The Annual Town Meeting was set for April 21, 2026 at 6:00pm. Chairman Discianno explained that the annual meeting is an opportunity for the town board to give reports. 11. Town of Winchester Driveway Ordinance: Supervisor Newton made a motion to approve the Town of Winchester Driveway Ordinance. Supervisor Silvis seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. 12. Norvado request for easement for fiber optic building: This was discussed during the broadband update. 13. Wisconsin Towns Association Transportation Resolution: Supervisor Silvis made a motion to authorize the board to sign the Wisconsin Towns Association Transportation Resolution. Supervisor Newton seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Future agenda items: NEMSD documents, deputy treasurer position Approval of Vouchers: Disbursements were reviewed and Chairman Discianno made a motion to approve February disbursements beginning with bill #31186 for EMS dues through liability check EFT- 22726 to WRS. Supervisor Newton seconded the motion, and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. 14. Motion to go into closed session under ss19.85 (1) (c) for employee compensation considerations: Chairman Discianno made a motion to enter closed session under ss19.85 (1) (c). Supervisor Newton seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Board entered closed session at 8:01pm. At 8:18pm Chairman Discianno made a motion to return to open session. Supervisor Newton seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0 in a voice vote. Chairman Discianno reported that there was a discussion but no action was taken. The meeting was adjourned at 8:19pm on March 9, 2026.